Students Gather For Day Of Discussion

For a few hours on Wednesday April 19th, 150 high school students, including 50 from Queens, discussed the issues they face every day at the Queens College Student Union in the Police Athletic League’s (PAL) 15th Annual Youth Forum. Moderated by a 15-student panel from the PAL’s Youth Advisory Leadership Group who were selected at various PAL centers, students between the ages of 14-18, all members of the PAL’s In-STEP program, discussed their opinions regarding media, health, education and relationships.
“It was a fun, educational experience,” said Armell Hogan, 15, a sophomore at Hillcrest High School who helped lead the media discussion. “I got to learn a few new things and share experiences with other teenagers. It went very well. We opened up.”
The media discussion centered on issues within the media, why certain cases attract more attention than others. For example, one student wondered aloud, why was the murder of a John Jay College of Criminal Justice graduate student Imette St. Guillen was followed so closely for so long, while when someone of color is killed it’s buried deep inside the paper? They also talked about the hype and fiction that is attached to stories, and they had a workshop where they each picked out five positive and negative newspaper articles.
The education class talked about the and ever-increasing dropout rates, and it’s correlation to incarceration for teens; getting jobs in the future; the issue of low-funded schools, and the college admission process. Elsewhere, the relationship segment delved into physical signs of when people get into relationships and the different dynamics that a romantic relationship consists of, and how to get out of an unhealthy one. Finally, the health forum allowed students to discuss the danger of sex, especially when it comes to sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, and the importance of using protection I you do have sex. They also went into health insurance, since many of In-STEP’s members are high school seniors who will need their own insurance soon.
“People seemed real interested in all of the discussions,” said Courtney Cohen, 17, the president of the Advisory Leadership Group. Cohen, a Flushing native, is a senior at the Mary Louis Academy.
According to Tamara Chalvire, the Queens PAL program manager, the day is intended “to get the message out so they can learn something. They talk about topics they need to get out to other youth in the community. It helps to spread the word.”
As part of the day, the Youth Advisory Leadership Group will recommend, based on their discussions, ways the PAL can improve their after-school sessions. “Young people don’t have a lot of opportunities to discuss issues and voice their opinions,” said Al Kurland, the PAL’s director of youth employment. “This is a chance for them to present their ideas.”